Awesome Photos: Predators of Europe (Slideshow)

"As a human being it is easy to feel like an unwelcome guest at a dinner table hosted by some of the most fascinating and strong creatures of this planet." Mireille de la Lez, photographer with the Wild Wonders of Europe project, sums up the essence of the human condition in the face of the great predators which are some of the few animals that compete with humans for the top of the food chain. Mireille captured this image on the Svalbard Archipelago, a group of frozen islands between the Barents Sea and the Arctic Ocean.

Predators of Europe is the first of a series of slideshows featuring photographs from Wild Wonders of Europe, the ambitious project which is sending 55 of Europe's top professional photographers on 90 missions to 44 countries over two years. Feast your eyes on fantastic photos and learn the secrets of the professionals in these slideshows. You will want to visit Wild Wonders of Europe, or Join Wild Wonders of Europe on Facebook for more.